The Philosophy of Tragedy From Plato to }i~ek [Paperback]

This book, written in an accessible style, is an exhaustive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present.This book, written in an accessible style, is an exhaustive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present. From Aristotle to }i~ek, philosophers have asked: why, notwithstanding its distressing content, do we value tragedy? Some point to a certain pleasure that results from tragedy, others to the knowledge we gain from tragedy  of psychology, ethics, freedom, or immortality.This book, written in an accessible style, is an exhaustive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present. From Aristotle to }i~ek, philosophers have asked: why, notwithstanding its distressing content, do we value tragedy? Some point to a certain pleasure that results from tragedy, others to the knowledge we gain from tragedy  of psychology, ethics, freedom, or immortality.This book is an exhaustive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present. From Aristotle to }i~ek the focal question has been: why, in spite of its distressing content, do we value tragic drama? What is the nature of the tragic effect? Some philosophers point to a certain kind of pleasure that results from tragedy. Others, while not excluding pleasure, emphasize the knowledge we gain from tragedy  of psychology, ethics, freedom, or immortality. Through a critical engagement with these and other philosophers, the book concludes by suggesting an answer to the question of what it is that constitutes tragedy in its highest vocation. This book will be of equal interest to students of philosophy and of literature.1. Plato; 2. Aristotle; 3. After Aristotle; 4. Hume; 5. Schelling; 6. H?lderlin; 7. Hegel; 8. Kierkegaard; 9. Schopenhauer; 10. Nietzsche; 11. Benjamin and Schmitt; 12. Heidegger; 13. Camus; 14. Arthur Miller; 15. }i~ek; 16. Conclusions. A thorough account of what philosophy has to say about tragedy, Julian Youngs book is also a pleal37